Conventionally, as a miniature relay constructed by stacking approximately plate-shaped components, there is, for example, the relay disclosed in the document of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 1-292725.
The relay is characterized in that it comprises a base board having two fitting holes and at least two print coil portions which are formed so as to be printed in an approximate spiral form around the fitting holes, an iron core which has an approximately bracket-like cross-section shape and has its both end portions projected while being fitted in the fitting holes, and a movable contact piece having its one end portion fixed to one projected end portion of the iron core, its middle portion arranged so as to be able to come in and out of contact with the other projected end portion of the iron core and a movable contact provided at a free end portion facing a fixed contact provided at the base board so as to be able to come in and out of contact with the fixed contact.
However, according to the aforementioned relay, the iron core and the movable contact piece must be fixed to the base board in different directions, and this requires much labor in positioning and assembling works, tending to cause a scattering in assembling accuracy. For this reason, there is a first technical problem that the productivity is low and a scattering tends to occur in the operation characteristics.
In view of the above-mentioned first technical problem, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a relay of a high productivity causing no scattering in operation characteristics.
As a prior art matrix relay, there is, for example, the one disclosed in the document of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 7-29473.
Namely, it is constructed so that its contact is opened and closed by driving a movable spring contact provided at a band plate by means of an electromagnet array comprised of a required number of electromagnets formed by providing a solenoid wound around a fixed contact core.
However, since the aforementioned matrix relay has the electromagnets formed by providing the solenoid wound around the fixed contact core as its components, it has a limitation in compacting and particularly reducing in thickness the device.
Furthermore, since most of the components are not flat nor able to be stacked in one direction, there is a second technical problem that much labor is required for the assembly and the productivity is low.
In view of the above-mentioned second technical problem, it is a second object of the present invention to provide a subminiature matrix relay capable of being easily assembled.